O's Time

...the high level of integration and communication the trio displays is rare and quite thrilling to experience...
-Downbeat Magazine

In his fifth decade as a major jazz artist, Hal Galper continues the innovation that has made him one of the most surprising and satisfying pianists alive. His 21st century series of trio albums for Origin incorporates his development of "Rubato" playing as a means of melding melodic lyricism with the rhythmic excitement and "sound of surprise" of bebop. The 6th recording in that series, "O's Time," highlights the deep musical bond of his trio, with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, as they explore standards such as "Smile," jazz classics like Wayne Shorter's "Wildflower," and originals including the title track, a dedication to Ornette Coleman. "...the most complex, daring, exhilarating music of Galper's career." - JazzTimes.

Production Info:

Produced by John Bishop, Jeff Johnson & Hal Galper
Recorded by Dave Dysart at Ice Station Zebra, Seattle, WA
Mixed by Dave Dysart
Mastered by Dan Dean at DDP Productions, Mercer Island, WA
Hal Galper photo by Erika Kapin
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of O's Time

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
It's hard to be innovative in the piano trio format. The last big change happened in the late fifties and early sixties, with pianist Bill Evans' groundbreaking trio featuring bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. The democratization of input and interplay changed the trio game, and countless groups have worked on refining that Evans appr ...

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
50 years in, Galper has done an enviable job of keeping jazz piano trio fresh, creative and insightful. Even when playing a chestnut, it’s not about playing pretty for the people, it’s about making them sit up and listen, and he does it without hitting you over the head. Successfully taking bop into the new century, Galper is on the money throu ...

Wondering Sound (Dave Sumner)
There is a strange grace to pianist Galper’s music, which always seems to be caught mid-stumble and falling fast… melodies flail about dramatically and rhythms don’t seem to be fully in control of motor functions. But over the decades of his career, Galper has found a way to freeze that stumble in a very brief moment, a moment of thrilling un ...

improvijazzation (Rotcod Zzaj)
Hal’s piano is just fantastic on this great jazz trio CD, also featuring Jeff Johnson on bass and John Bishop’s drum work. Crisp recording makes it a true pleasure to listen to, but it’s the shining talent of all three players that makes their music work so well. The energy is palpable on pieces like the grand opener, “Like Sonny“… ju ...

Cadence (Jerome Wilson)
Veteran pianist Hal Galper has a more measured, intricate approach on "O's Time." On John Coltrane’s "Like Sonny" he takes his time working up classical-sounding turbulence with different tempos in each hand while his rhythm mates, Jeff Johnson and John Bishop swirl alongside him. The trio moves through Wayne Shotere's "Wildflower" and Ch ...

Jazziz (Philip Booth)
Pianist Hal Galper's signature style involves bending and stretching pieces as far as they can go in the rubato style, and fully exploring where that strategy leads. For his sixth recording built on that approach, he again comes up with intriguing results, with the help of longtime collaborators Jeff Johnson and John Bishop on bass and drums, resp ...

All About Jazz / Italia (Maurizio Zerbo)
O's Time is a remarkable CD that finds Hal Galper in splendid form and documents both his expressive richness and relevant creativity. Emblematic of a particular group of jazz musicians - the musician's musician - Hal Galper offers a fascinating journey and imaginative explorations of some standards. Without Voltage dips, the flowery interpl ...

Multikulti Project (Poland) (Marek Zając)
It is very difficult to innovate when playing in a classic jazz trio. The last big change was the democratization of the band's roles, but it happened around the turn of the 1950s and 1960s when Bill Evans invited Paul Motian and Scatt LaFaro to play together. Of course, there was then a free jazz revolution and Cecil Taylor's achievements that act ...